Apr Expects Shade Racing to Return for Fuji After Fire

Apr boss Hiroto Kaneso has provided an update on the status of Shade Racing following the Toyota SUPER GT team’s fire earlier this month at Suzuka, expressing optimism that the team’s GR86 GT can be repaired in time for August’s Fuji round.

Shade’s apr-constructed No. 20 car was heavily damaged in a fire on the opening day of the GT Entrants’ Association (GTE) test at Suzuka while Katsuyuki Hiranaka was at the wheel, casting doubt on the team’s participation in next month’s Sepang race.

A statement released by Shade in the days after the incident stated that the team was evaluating its future options, but stressed that it will “definitely” return.

However, Kaneso revealed that the No. 20 car wasn’t completely destroyed in the fire, and believes that it is feasible for the car to return to action for the fourth round of the season at Fuji on Aug. 2-3 with the help of apr.

“I just visited the factory today [Wednesday], and the damage wasn’t too bad,” Kaneso told Sportscar365. “I am certain they will be able to make the August Fuji race.

“Apr will do its best to help together with the Shade mechanics. It’s not like we need to prepare an entirely new car. They recovered the car well and there are no terminal problems that can’t be fixed. The frame itself is ok.

“The main issue is that the bodywork had many original parts that the team made themselves, and they will have to be remade in a hurry.

“It won’t be possible for them to race at Sepang, but we’ll support them as much as we can so that they can be back on the grid for the Fuji race.”

Shade Racing’s expected absence from Sepang opens the door for one of the ten GT300 teams that was originally scheduled to miss the race due to tight restrictions on pit lane space at the Malaysian venue to participate after all.

Kaneso confirmed that apr’s No. 30 car as well as Tsuchiya Engineering’s No. 25 Toyota GR Supra will not be taking up the chance to go to Sepang, while Pacific Racing has also stated on social media that it will not be present in Malaysia either.

A GTA spokesperson declined to comment when approached by Sportscar365.

Kaneso Praises Toyota Juniors As Prius Tops GTE Test

During the GTE test in which Shade Racing suffered its fire, apr was out in force with its two race cars, the No. 30 GR86 GT and the No. 31 Lexus LC500h, as well as the No. 300 Toyota Prius PHV GR Sport that also ran in February’s Fuji GTE test.

Both days of the test were topped by the Prius, with the best time of 1:55.527 being set by Toyota junior driver Tokiya Suzuki on the second day.

Also at the wheel were Kiyoshi Umegaki, as well as gentleman driver Hideki Nagai — brother of apr regular Hiroaki — and SUPER GT veteran Koki Saga.

Kaneso said he was impressed by both Suzuki, 18, and Umegaki, 17, who are racing in Japanese Formula 4 this year as well as the Formula Regional Japanese Championship with Toyota’s backing, in their first taste of SUPER GT machinery.

“My first impression of them was good,” said Kaneso. “They have a solid foundation from having taken part in karting and esports since they were young.

“They have obviously learnt a lot doing that and their performance is already at a high level. I think they would be able to do a good job if they raced.”

Suzuki’s best time was 0.271 seconds quicker than the PONOS Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Kei Cozzolino, which was the quickest of the regular GT300 runners at the test, followed by the LM Corsa Lexus LC500 of Hiroki Yoshimoto.

In the previous week’s Suzuka GTE test, in which eight Yokohama-shod GT300 runners shared the track with three GT500 cars, the No. 0 JLOC Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 of Takashi Kogure was fastest of the GT300s on a best time of 1:56.287.

During the same test, Anglo-Malaysian driver James Pull, a regular in Super Taikyu, turned his first laps in the Helm Motorsport Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 and passed his rookie test in the process, making him eligible to race later this year.